A festive atmosphere prevails in Sirikonda mandal what with people waiting for the arrival of the youngest girl mountaineer Malavath Poorna, who scaled the highest peak, Mount Everest, to give her a rousing reception.
Youth, especially students, of her native village Pakala have been planning to celebrate her feat by honouring her and her parents Malavath Devidas and Lakshmi, the farm labourers. They have also been thinking of unveiling the statue of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar on the occasion.
Pakala, a village abutting the forest belt in Sirikonda mandal, came to limelight with the 13-year-old’s achievement. Poorna, a class IX student in Social Welfare Residential School for Girls at Tadwai mandal headquarters, hails from a family that struggles to survive her. But her determination to make a mark for herself ever since she joined the school propelled her to scale the Mount Everest, said Sidhiramulu, Principal (in-charge).
Identifying her flair for adventure, the AP Residential School Society secretary R.S. Praveenkumar encouraged her and got her trained to climb the Everest under B. Shekhar Babu, a renowned mountaineer and Tenzing Norgay awardee. She was noticed by Mr. Praveenkumar as she was active in sports. She was among the 20 students selected for the adventure and after screening.
